Published in 2016. Topping the citation list in 2026.

With more than 2,300 citations on Google Scholar, a paper with three authors from BPC Instruments continues to be widely referenced ten years after publication. In August 2026, it was the most cited article from Water Science and Technology on ResearchGate.

“Towards a standardization of biomethane potential tests” was published in 2016 by an international group of researchers, including Jing Liu, Mihaela Nistor and Sten Strömberg. We are proud to have contributed to work that researchers are still citing a decade later!

Helping laboratories compare results

Biochemical methane potential (BMP) testing measures how much methane an organic material can produce under controlled conditions. However, differences in test procedures can make it difficult to compare results, even when laboratories analyse the same material.

The paper addressed this problem with recommendations for preparing, running and validating BMP tests. These covered the choice of inoculum, the use of blanks and positive controls, test duration and criteria for accepting results. The aim was to give laboratories a common basis for producing reliable, comparable data.

For researchers and biogas producers, consistency matters when comparing feedstocks or assessing whether a treatment improves methane yield. Differences caused by the test procedure can affect those conclusions.

We cover several of these issues in our guide to avoiding common errors in BMP tests.

Avoid common errors in biochemical methane potential (BMP) tests

Cassie Welander, PhD • 13 July, 2026

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From scientific research to everyday testing

Our involvement in this work continues. In a global BMP study published in 2026, our laboratory was one of six reference laboratories whose results were used to assess testing across 31 other laboratories. The study examined differences between methods and proposed practical improvements to testing procedures.

Alongside developing instruments such as AMPTS^® III, we continuously run experiments in our own laboratory and contribute to research on how BMP tests are performed and evaluated.

Customers can draw on that experience through our training and consultation services. We help our clients with experimental setup, method questions and data evaluation, whether a laboratory is introducing BMP testing or reviewing an established procedure.